Automatic rail-joint fastening



Feb.ll 16 1926. 1,573,132

M. BETKE AUTOMATIC RAIL JOINT FASTENING Filed Jan. l2 1925 sition.

plate, the upper margins of t-he heads of the plates being made convex to accommodate suoli impact. The depression of a plate 4 carries the detent 5 thereon downwardly and cau es the teeth 13 to engage successively with the teeth of the ratchet wheel portion 8 and rotate the nut 8 thereon in 'tightening direction. Then the nut 8 is again tightened to the desired extent by successive in'ipactsef successive wheels 14, it will hold the plate l in its lowerinost porlhus, provision is made for automatically tightening any nut which becomes loose in use on a joint of this character.

I claim as my invention-v l. In an automatic rail joint fastening, the conibiiiation et ratcheted nut members, spaced operatingplates severally located adjacent thereto and adapted to project at times above normal positions, and means carried by the several yoperatingplates adapted to engage and rotate said. nut meinbers. f

2. In a device of the character described having abutting railway rails, iishplates overlapping the joint thereof, and bolts extending' thru said rails and lishpla'tes, the combination of operating plates mounted for reciprocationon said iishplates, nuts mounted on said bolts, and deteiits carried by said platesy and adapted to yengage said nuts. Y

3. ln a device of the character'described thecombination of abutting rail sections, lisliplates overlapping the joints thereof, one otsaid ishplates having its outer face in a plane outside of the outer face of the tread of therail and also formed with `'slide bearing bolts connecting said rails and (ishplates, plates formed with slots adapted to receive said bolts and mounted for reciprocation in said slide bearings, ratcheted nuts on said bolts and detent 'devices on said plates adapted tol engage said nuts.

4. ln a device of the character described7 the combination of abutting rail sections, 'ishplates overlapping the joints thereof, one of said lishplates having its outerv face ina plane outside of the outer face ot the tread of the i'ail and also formed with slide bearing bolts connecting-` said rails and fishplat-es, Aplates formed with slots adapted to receive said bolts and mounted for reciprocation in said slide bearings, ratcheted nuts on said bolts, detent devices pivoted on said plates adapted to engage said nuts, and

springs carried by said lishplate and en! gagging said nuts and detent devices.

5. In a device o' the character described,

a lishplate formed with slide bearings ar-A ranged transversely and in spaced relation, said lishplate being` formed with holesbetween said bearings adapted to receive bolts7 plates mounted ior reciprocation in said bearings and formed with slots adapted tov receive said bolts, ratcheted nuts between said bearings, detent devices on said plates adapted to engage said nuts and hair piny f MICHAEL BETKE. 

